Collapsible box.



JAMES J. KEATING, OF HIGHLAND FALLS, NEW YORK.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 25, 1919.

Application filed June 8, 1917. Serial No. 173,632.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES J. KEATING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Highland Falls, in the county ot Orange, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Boxes; and do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description or" the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is an improvement in boxes and has particular reference to a collapsible box, crate or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a box wherein the top and bottom are detachably mounted and the ends of the box formed of hingedly connected sections whereby upon the removal of the top and bottom, the ends may be folded inwardly in superposed relation collapsing the sides ot box and adjusting the same to such a position that the entire box will be in a compact form to permit of the saine being conveniently handled and transferred from place to place.

Another object is to provide a box of this character which is simple in construction, easy to manufacture and effective in carrying out the purpose 'for which it is designed.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which, tor the purpose of illustrating the invention, is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the box.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a similar section taken at right angles to Fig. 2.

Fig. 4. is a perspective view of the box in collapsed position.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough.

In the drawing the numeral 10 indicates the sides of the box to the edges of each of which are secured the side boards 11, the bottom side boards being adapted to support the detachable bottom 12 in position when the box is assembled. Adjacent the upper edges ot the sides the same are provided with upper longitudinal grooves 13 and secured adjacent said grooves are the guide strips 14 :for supporting the top l5 in closed position, thel tongues 16 of said top slidabljvr engaging in said grooves and the movement of said ton being limited in one direction by the side boards 11 at one end of the box. Secured to each side 10 at its ends and engaging the adjacent side boards 11 are the verticallv arranged strips 17 of greater thickness than the top and bottom of the box so that when the parts are in folded position said ton and bottom may be nested between said strips, as shown in Fig. 5. Hinged at 18 to the onpositely disposed strips 17 of the sides 10 are the end sections 19 oit the box which have their adjacent edges also hinged together at 2O so that said sections mav be moved inwardly when the top and bottom of the box have been removed and spaced between the strips 17 so that it will be apparent that the sides 10 of the box will be adjusted toward each other until the side boards 11 contact whereupon the latches 2l carried by certain of the side boards may be operated to engage the stubs 22 carried by the opposite side boards.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the invention provides a collapsible box of simple and inexpensive construction which mav be easily and quickly ifolded to a compact form so that the same may be shipped from one point to another and ocouov a minimum space.

`What is claimed is A collapsible box comprising sides provided adjacent their upper edges with longitudinal grooves, side boards secured to the bottom and top of said sides, a removable bottom supported by the bottom side boards, guide strips secured to the sides and arranged adjacent said grooves, a removable top slidably engaging said guide strips and provided with tongues engaging in said grooves, the movement of said top being limited in one direction by enga .freinent with certain of said side boards, vertical strips secured to said sides at the ends thereof and of greater thickness than that of the top and bottom, and hingedly connected end sections hinged to said vertical strips and movable inwardly to permit of said guides being collapsed.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES J. KEATING.

Witnesses:

HENRY MoGIL'roN, ROBERT S. SMALLMAN.

Copies o! this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

